Feed-water-supply apparatus for steam-generators.



T CLARKSON.

FEED WATER SUPPLY'APPARATUS FOR STEAM GENERATORS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2.1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented J an. 1, 1918. \1 & N

T. CLARKSON. FEED WATER SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR STEAM GENERATORS. APPUCATIGN FILED JULY 2. 1911.

5% Emma Jan.1,1918,

THQMAS 'opauxsou, or cnnmvrsronn, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Application filed Ju1y2,191 7. Serial Nd. 173,279.

To all concern.-

e t k w t at 1. T ims C RKS subject of the King of England, residing at elm$ r ssex, n E l nd a 21 l. e t i n w. n sefu mpro ments in Feed-l/Yater-Supply Apparatusfor steamrGenerators, of which. the following is I a specification.

hi nrnt o re at s to eed-W ter pr npe faw 't tea n r ors and has particular referencetov float-controlled appawns su h asi'ssemetim u dwit Steam generatorsgfor self-propelled road vehicles; the application f of the invention, however, is not-necessarily. limitedto such. generators. In a float-controlled feed-water supply apparatus the float is sometimes; arranged so that'flit'sjmotion turns a spindle and it has been proposedto renderthefloat and spindle sensitive'tovariation in the level of the waterby subjecting. the, Spindle to a recip- IIIQ'CZ tihgmotion in. the direction of the axis offthje" spindle. The present invention is concerned Witli'an improved Construction of thefloat' spindle. and the operating mecha- I lisn which, imparts. to it this reclprocating motion.

According to this invention the spindle of the float is. operated." by a rodfor' plunger in axialalinementWvith the fioatspindle the adjacentends of the spindle and'the rod being formed offhardenedfsurfaces, one preferablyj planej andfthe. other convex the two hardened, surfaces being in contact.

"'Thefhardened"surfaces and; the adjacent portions of the flbat spindle and. Ifod" are inlbsed n. a leeve in 'w ii rh he can Slide freely. and outside this sleeve links are proidii cc i es d to. t e 70 an o a le v through which; the float spindle passesfreely.

' One end of-lthis sleeve is arranged to. bear against a colla'ror. abutment on the spindle.

Through some, convenient mechanism a slow reciprocatingmotion is imparted to the rod and transmitted, byv it' to the float spindle.

In tlie accompanying. drawings which illnstrate 'oneoo'nv'enient construction of an apparatus according tothisinvention; "Figure 1 isa'planpartly sect on, and

' FigCQis an end elevationpartly in secio on the e +2. f. Fig. 1.

Like let er n cate. like par hrou hou stuffing box 13. screwed and. furnished with a cap D formposition thereon by a nut D.

In the construction illustrated the float is in the form of a hollow cylindrical body A contained in a float chamber B provided with lagging B and mounted with its axis horizontal upon some convenient part of the steam generator. The float chamber B is so positioned and its. connections B B3 are such that the normal water level in the steam generator will correspond approximately to the axis of the float chamber.

on one side of the float A near each end lugs A are welded or otherwise attached to it and a spindle C passes through these lugs andis securedin position by set screws one of which is indicated at A in Fig. 1. One

.end of the spindle C rests 'slidably in a bearing C" in a boss B formed at oneend of the float chamber. B and the other end of the spindle C projects through a stuffing. box B formed on the'coverB of the float chamber. The boss B is drilled throughand its end is closed by a screw plug B which can be rcmoved to allow of inspection and the occasional insertion of a small quantity of lubricant.

The cover B of the float chamber is bolted on to the chamber and is provided with angle arms B which support a circular shield or cone B In the example illustrated. the cover B, arms B and shield B are integral with each other but this need not necessarily be the case as they may be separate members secured in any. convenient way. The shield or coneB is formed with a sleeve B having a lining sleeve B in axial aline nent with the spindle C projecting. through the The end ofthe spindleC is ing an extension of the spindle and locked in This cap' D is of' sufficient length to, extend into. the. sleeve B and itsend is drilled centrally to. accommodate a hardened steel rollerE the flat end of the rollerforming. the central portionof the end of. the cap'Df. I This, roller is kept in position by burring the edges offthe hole in which it isin'serted or in any other convenient way.

Passing throughthe sleeveB from. the outer end'is a short rod or plungerF having at its inner: end a hardened steel ball F which, likethe rollerE, may. bekept in place by burring the edge of; the hole made to receive it. This ball F is positioned centrally and consequently bears against the center of the'flat end of the hardened roller E. VAt v the other end of therod or. plunger F is an eye F connected by a pin Gto leverG" which, at its upper extremity, is p voted to a link G mounted as at G on the shield 13". The other end of this lever G is connected in any convenient way to some member which will give it a slow reciprocatlng movement. i

Fitting loosely around the spindle C is a disk or sleeve H bearing againstfthe lock nut D and this sleeve H is connected by links H. which pass freely through holes H in the shield B and have their other ends connected by a pin J which passesthrough the two rods and through the rod or plunger F.

When the lever G is moved inward the hardened ball F 'on the inner end of the plunger F presses against the'hardened surfaces of the roller. E at the end of the spinimparted to the float spindle C.

' dle G and causes that spindle and the float A 'to move longitudinally relatively to chamber 13 and when the lev'er'G Upon the float spindle C is mounted the usual arm K Which may serve as an indicator and can also be used through any suitable mechanism, not shown in detail in the drawings, to control the supply of Water to the steam generator.

The sleeve B B does not merely act as a guide and bearing for the plunger F but also guides and protects the float spindle C.

' ported by any form of spider or support I This is an important function for it enables the float spindle which must necessarily extend outward from the float chamber for an to be made of small diappreciable length, ameter thus insuring lightness and reducing friction to a minimum. p

Obviously the sleeve B B, might be supwhich held it in alinement with the axis of the spindle C but it is'preferred to support it by the conical shield B so that that member may act as a guard or casing and give further protection to the float. spindle C.

Conveniently the floatspindle is ma'de of stainlesssteel or some other alloy which resists the action of water and does-"notrust.

- The hardened flatended'rollerE and the ball F are convenient means ofv providing hard and frictionless points'of contact between the plungerF and the end of the float spindle but these and other details of conchamber, a

struction may be varied without departing from the spirit of this invention." 7 a What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In afeed 'Water supply apparatus for a steam generator the combination of a float chamber, a spindle capable of sliding and partially rotating in bearings in; said float float mounted on the spindle, a plunger or -rodslidably supported in axial alinement with the float spindle and ,means for imparting to such plunger or-rod a slow 'reciprocating movement for the purpose set forth;

2. In affeedwater supply apparatus-for a steam generator the combinationofa float chamber,- a-spindle capable of sliding and partially rotating in bearings "in said float chamber, a float mounted onthe spindle, a

plunger or rod slidably supported in axial alinem-ent'with the float spindle, 'the adja cent ends of the plunger and of the spindle being furnished with hardenedsurfaces one plane and the other convex means for imparting aslow reciprocating movement to the plun'ger or rod for the'pu'rpose set forth.

3,111 a feed water supply'apparatus for a steamgenerat'or, the combination of a float chamber, a spindle capable of sliding and chamber, a float mounted onthe spindle, a plunger or rod slidablyxsupportedin axial valinement with the float spindle, the adjacent ends of' theplunger and of th'e spindle. being furnished with hardened surfaces one plane and the other convex, 'means for'imparting a slow reciprocatingmovement to the rod and operative connectionsbetween the plunger and the float" spindle for the purpose set forth. v vI 4. In a' feed water supply apparatus for a steam generator the combination of afloat chamber, a spindle capable of sliding and partially rotating in'bearings in said float chamber,'a float mounted on the spindle,

sleevej'or bearingseparate from {the float chamber, a cap mounted on the float spindle having a hardened center and arrangedto slide in the sleeve, a plungeror rod slidably supported in the sleevewith its free end in contact with the hardened center of the cap on' the rod, meansffor reciprocating the plunger or rod and means for transmitting such j reciprocating movement to the float spindle' for the purposeset forth, "5. Inafeed waterfsup'ply japparatus for a steam-generator the combination "of afloat chamber, a spindle Capable of sliding and partially rotating in b'e a arings insaid float chamber, a float mounted on thefspindle, a

Vsleeve or bearing separate from {the float chamber, a cap mounted on thef'floatspindle having a hardened center and arranged 'to partially" rotating in bearings in said float slide in the sleeve, a plunger orrod slidably 13 supported in the sleeve with its free end in In testimony whereof I have signed my contact with the hardened center of the cap name to this specification in the presence of 10 on the rod, a collar or sleeve loosely mounted two subscribing Witnesses.

on the float spindle, links connectin the loose collar or sleeve and the plunger (grod THOMAS CLARKSON' and means for imparting a slow reciprocat- Witnesses: ing movement to the plunger or rod for the J. PHILLIPS CRAWLEY, a purpose set forth. W. J. SKERTEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

